Santa Claus is well-known all over the world, but in different countries he has another name. The legend about Santa Claus has its origin in the Dutch legend about Sinter Klaas. He was a kind of equivalent of our modern Santa Claus. The legend was originated in the 1600's.
However, Santa Claus really became to be famous thanks to the stories written by an American author -Washington Irving. They were treated about Santa Claus, but Irving called him Saint Nicholas. His character used to arrive on Christmas Eve and bring children gifts.
Santa Claus became even more famous after the poem written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1823. It was entitled "The Night Before Christmas" and told the readers about the Santa Claus's visit. The poem gave a detailed description of real Santa Claus and his cart consisted of eight flying reindeers.
In different countries Santa Claus is called various names:
in Great Britain - Kris Kringle or Father Christmas
in Belgium - Sinterklass - the holiday celebrated on 6th December and then De kerstman celebrated on 26th December
in Italy - Babbo Natale
in Germany - Weihnachtsmann or Sankt Nikolaus
in Sweden - Jultomten or Christmas Brownie
in Hawaii - Kanakaloka
in Chile - Viejo Pascuerro
in France - Pere Noel
in Japan - Hoteiosho - it is a priest who give presents or Santa Kurohsu
and in Russia - Ded Moroz - Grandfather Frost or Baboushka, a kind of magic witch who visits only good children during Christmas Eve
